1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a seat belt retractor and, in particular, the present invention relates to a seat belt retractor having a comfort mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Comfort mechanisms for seat belt retractors are known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,982 discloses a comfort mechanism which is actuated after the belt wearer establishes a desired amount of slack in the belt webbing. The comfort mechanism, when actuated, blocks rotation of a seat belt retractor take-up spool in a belt retraction direction to maintain the slack in the belt webbing that was established. Thus, the biasing force exerted by a wind-up spring tending to rotate the take-up spool in a belt retraction direction is not transferred through the seat belt webbing to the belt wearer.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 138,838, filed Dec. 28, 1987 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,324 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a comfort mechanism which establishes slack in belt webbing during actuation of the comfort mechanism. The comfort mechanism includes a drum having a plurality of ratchet teeth formed on the drum. The drum is connectable with a spindle of the retractor. A member is moved to engage one of the ratchet teeth on the drum and rotate the drum a predetermined amount. Rotation of the drum causes the spindle to rotate in a belt withdrawal direction to establish a predetermined amount of slack in the belt webbing. The member then blocks both the drum and the spindle from rotating in a belt retraction direction to maintain the slack in the belt webbing that was established.